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Israel Launches Two Incursions, Helicopter Strike on West Bank

Aired March 12, 2002 - 05:15   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Let's get back to the violence raging between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

For that, we turn to our Senior International Correspondent, Sheila MacVicar, who is live in Jerusalem this morning -- good morning, Sheila.

SHEILA MACVICAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Another bloody night, indeed, as Israeli forces have made two major incursions, plus launched a helicopter strike over the course of the last 12 hours. Beginning first in the West Bank city of Ramallah, where Israeli forces went into in large numbers about 10 hours ago now, we are told, dozens of tanks, hundreds of Israeli troops into that city.

Ramallah, of course, being the West Bank city where Yasser Arafat has been holed up in his headquarters since December, under Israeli restrictions. He was released from those restrictions yesterday, free to travel within the West Bank and Gaza, clearly not able to move very far today.

Now there have been a series of gun battles in Ramallah.

CNN producer Joe Duran was in a hotel in that city when it came under fire.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE DURAN, CNN PRODUCER: We are at the edge of the camp at one of the hotels overlooking the camp and have been able to witness quite a bit of fighting. And we've spoken with the Israeli defense forces after what happened because at one point they were shooting into the hotel. Quite a lot of rounds came into the hotel.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MACVICAR: Israeli, rather, Palestinian sources, Palestinian medical sources say that four Palestinians have died so far in that violence. It is very difficult for ambulances and medical workers to move through the city. There are continuing reports of gunfire.

In addition, we are told now that Israeli soldiers are demanding that Palestinian men and boys surrender, that they come out of their houses, they put their hands on top of their heads. This is something we have seen happen in Dahesha (ph), near Bethlehem yesterday, in another West Bank community earlier last week, where Israeli forces rounded up hundreds of men and held them for interrogation.

Now, earlier last night, Carol, Israeli forces went in large numbers into the Jabaleya (ph) refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. This is the most populous refugee camp in all of Gaza and the West Bank, home to more than 100,000 people, a very tightly crowded, very populous place. There was a fierce gun battle there. We are told that 17 Palestinians died. More than 80 were wounded, according to Palestinian medical sources. And Saeb Erakat, the chief negotiator for the Palestinians, has described what happened there as a bloodbath.

There are ongoing actions in Ramallah as we speak. There have been reports of an Israeli helicopter gunship attack on a factory. Elsewhere in the Gaza Strip, reports of more injuries -- Carol.

COSTELLO: So it sounds, Sheila, that talks of peace are just that, just talk.

MACVICAR: Well, it's very clear, I think, that Prime Minister Sharon is pursuing what might best be described as a two pronged strategy, one with a carrot and the other one with a stick. And clearly what we're talking about at this point in time is the stick. The prime minister has made very clear that his plan, his policy is to, in his words, wage war until the Palestinians agree to surrender and negotiate on his terms.

Now, the prime minister has made two concessions over the course of the last couple of days that are rather hopeful in the terms of the broader picture of peace. One, of course, is agreeing to drop the demand that there be seven days of absolute quiet before negotiations begin on a cease-fire. The prime minister has said that he will permit discussions to take place on a cease-fire while violence continues. And obviously that means, obviously, that includes as long as Israel military activities continue, as well.

And yesterday he released Mr. Arafat from what had amounted to house arrest in Ramallah and the Gaza Strip. Obviously, with tanks, again, outside his headquarters in Ramallah, it would seem that Mr. Arafat does not have very far to go.

Indeed, we are waiting now for the U.S. envoy, General Zinni, to arrive. We are told it will be at least Thursday before he arrives here and that is 48 hours from now. And given this level of violence, it is reasonable to assume that there will be more death and more violence in those 48 hours -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, Sheila MacVicar reporting live for us from Jerusalem this morning. Thank you.

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